optimized nForce chipset driverpacks for XP (32/64bit)

[Fernando 1]

Motherboard Nforce 590SLI
Processor Athlon X2 6400
Memory 4GB

The latest drivers works fine with some exceptions:
-In windows 2003 32bit with sp2 and 4GB memory hard drive performance sucks. this happens with jmicron controller also.
-since 10.x.x.x sata drivers I can't integrate drivers in my windows installation. it gives me BSOD when searching for drivers. I have to use 6.99 drivers to recognize the drives and then I can install 10.x.x.x drivers.
-also 10.x.x.x drivers disable write caching on disk and advanced performance. I can activate these options but after restart it only remembers the settings for all the drives except the drive on wich windows is installed. This problem occurs on windows 2003. windows xp works fine.

Welcome at nForcersHQ Forums!

Thanks for your feedback, which contains some interesting news regarding the use of the nForce IDE drivers v10.3.0.39 with Windows Server 2003.
Obviously these drivers (and maybe all other IDE drivers of the 10.x.x.xx series) are not the best choice for Windows Server 2003. This is noticeable, but not a real driver issue, because they are only designed for Windows XP.

Regarding the integration of the nForce IDE drivers v10.3.0.39 into a bootable XP CD I have additional questions:
1. Are you using an nForce RAID system?
2. Which driver folder did you integrate?
3. Did you integrate the driver as PnP or textmode driver?
Notice:
You certainly will not be able to integrate the SATA_IDE folder as textmode driver unless you have an AHCI capable nForce chipset and have enabled the "AHCI mode" prior to the OS installation.

[dann23]

1. I have 2 drives in RAID mode with using nvidia raid, 2 using jmicron and another 2 drives in IDE(???) mode because in BIOS I have just the posibility to enable raid and to select the sata ports to use raid mode. There is no option for AHCI. The 2 drives in ide mode are recognized by OS like SCSI devices. Also optical drives are recognized like SCSI devices. This happens with all 10.x.x.x versions

2. In txtmode i use 6.99 because 10.x.x.x do not work. It gives BSOD when searching for hard drives. And in guimode I have integrated 10.3.0.39 and it works fine.

Regarding the performance of 10.x.x.x and 6.99 drivers I'll make a test to see if 6.99 has the problem with 4 GB of ram.

[Fernando 1]

1. I have 2 drives in RAID mode with using nvidia raid, 2 using jmicron and another 2 drives in IDE(???) mode because in BIOS I have just the posibility to enable raid and to select the sata ports to use raid mode. There is no option for AHCI. The 2 drives in ide mode are recognized by OS like SCSI devices. Also optical drives are recognized like SCSI devices. This happens with all 10.x.x.x versions.

This seems to be a feature, not an issue.

2. In txtmode i use 6.99 because 10.x.x.x do not work. It gives BSOD when searching for hard drives. And in guimode I have integrated 10.3.0.39 and it works fine.

I repeat my question: Which driver subfolder (only SATARAID or SATARAID+SATA_IDE) did you integrate?
How did you integrate the 10.3.0.39 drivers in the GUIMODE part of the installation?
Did you integrate different drivers into the CD or did you load different drivers during the installation by using the F6/floppy method?

Regarding the performance of 10.x.x.x and 6.99 drivers I'll make a test to see if 6.99 has the problem with 4 GB of ram.

That will be interesting to see.

[dann23]

sataraid+sata_ide in txtmode and in guimode I used the $oem$ folder so after the setup is finished I have installed 10.3.0.39 version.

[Fernando 1]

sataraid+sata_ide in txtmode and in guimode I used the $oem$ folder so after the setup is finished I have installed 10.3.0.39 version.

Did you really try to integrate both nForce IDE driver folders (SATARAID and SATA_IDE) of the v10.3.0.39 as textmode driver?
If yes, that was a mistake. You should have integrated just the SATARAID folder as textmode driver (and manbe additionally the SATA_IDE folder as PnP driver). The use of the SATA_IDE driver folder as textmode driver only makes sense, if you have a non-RAID system and AHCI enabled within the BIOS.

The details about your driver integration procedure (the use of the $OEM$ folder for the GUIMODE part of the installation) are very interesting for me. Since they are somehow offtopic, please send me a PM about that.

Thanks for your reports!
Fernando

[dann23]

I'll send you details tommorow about $oem$ integration but right now I don't understand why do I have to use just the SATARAID in txtmode. don't I need sataide too? What I want to say is that I need nvgts.sys and nvrd32.sys in txtmode. Is this true?

[Fernando 1]

I'll send you details tommorow about $oem$ integration but right now I don't understand why do I have to use just the SATARAID in txtmode. don't I need sataide too? What I want to say is that I need nvgts.sys and nvrd32.sys in txtmode. Is this true?

Yes, the OS setup needs them both, but they are both within the SATARAID driver folder.
The SATA_IDE driver folder should be additionally integrated, but as PnP driver (you have to change the integration mode manually, because nLite sets the integration mode automaticly to "textmode", if it sees a TXTSETUP.OEM file). The additional integration of the SATA_IDE driver folder is not necessary at all for the TEXTMODE, but for the GUIMODE part of the installation. Otherwise the already installed "NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller" will be replaced by the "Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller", which lets the installation onto a SataRaid system fail at the last reboot with a BSOD. The additional integration of the SATA_IDE driver folder as PnP driver is especially needed, when you want to get unsigned (modded) nForce SataRaid drivers installed from scratch.

[Wishbringer]

Is there a known location to get latest NAM for Ethernet drivers 67.86 ?

[Fernando 1]

Is there a known location to get latest NAM for Ethernet drivers 67.86 ?

No. Since the only known source of the Ethernet driver v67.86 (it's the 19.06 package offered by Fujitsu-Siemens Support) doesn't contain a NAM folder, there is actually no NAM version v67.86 available.

[Wishbringer]

Do you know another way to enable teaming of two 1Gbit ethernet lanes (680i) except NAM with 67.86?
Registry-Settings for example?
Because older NAM doesn't show this option when installed. Only with corresponding driver.